Le Morte Darthur
knight, and awaited him, and smote him sore. And sometime they rashed
together with their shields like two boars or rams, and fell groveling
both to the earth. Now knight, said Malgrin, hold thy hand awhile, and
tell me what thou art. I will not, said Alisander, but if me list. But
tell me thy name, and why thou keepest this country, or else thou shalt
die of my hands. Wit thou well, said Malgrin, that for this maiden’s
love of this castle I have slain ten good knights by mishap; and by
outrage and pride of myself I have slain ten other knights. Truly, said
Alisander, this is the foulest confession that ever I heard knight
make, nor never heard I speak of other men of such a shameful
confession; wherefore it were great pity and great shame to me that I
should let thee live any longer; therefore keep thee as well as ever
thou mayest, for as I am true knight, either thou shalt slay me or else
I shall slay thee, I promise thee faithfully. Then they lashed together
fiercely. And at the last Alisander smote Malgrin to the earth, and
then he raced off his helm, and smote off his head lightly. And when he
had done and ended this battle, anon he called to him his varlet, the
which brought him his horse. And then he weening to be strong enough
would have mounted. And so she laid Sir Alisander in a horse-litter,
and led him into the castle, for he had no foot nor might to stand upon
the earth. For he had sixteen great wounds, and in especial one of them
was like to be his death.
CHAP. XXXVII.
_How queen Morgan le Fay had Alisander in her castle, and how she
healed his wounds._
Then queen Morgan le Fay searched his wounds, and gave such an ointment
unto him that he should have died. And on the morn when she came to
him, he complained him sore; and then she put other ointments upon him,
and then he was out of his pain. Then came the damsel of the castle,
and said unto Morgan le Fay, I pray you help me that this knight might
wed me, for he hath won me with his hands. Ye shall see, said Morgan le
Fay, what I shall say. Then Morgan le Fay went to Sir Alisander and bad
in any wise that he should refuse this lady—if she desire to wed you,
for she is not for you. So the damsel came and desired of him marriage.
Damsel, said Orphelin, I thank you, but as yet I cast me not to marry
in this country. Sir, said she, sithen ye will not marry me, I pray
you, insomuch as ye have won me, that ye will give me to a knight of
this country that hath been my friend and loved me many years. With all
my heart, said Alisander, I will assent thereto. Then was the knight
sent for; his name was Sir Gerine le Grose. And anon he made them
handfast and wedded them. Then came queen Morgan le Fay to Alisander,
and bad him arise, and put him in a horse-litter: and gave him such a
drink that in three days and three nights he waked never but slept: and
so she brought him to her own castle, that at that time was called La
Beale Regard. Then Morgan le Fay came to Alisander, and asked him if he
would fain be whole. Who would be sick, said Alisander, and he might be
whole? Well, said Morgan le Fay, then shall ye promise me by your
knighthood that this day twelvemonth and a day ye shall not pass the
compass of this castle, and without doubt ye shall lightly be whole. I
assent, said Sir Alisander. And there he made her a promise. Then was
he soon whole. And when Alisander was whole then he repented him of his
oath, for he might not be revenged upon king Mark. Right so there came
a damsel that was cousin to the Earl of Pase, and she was cousin to
Morgan le Fay. And by right that castle of La Beale Regard should have
been hers by true inheritance. So this damsel entered into this castle
where lay Alisander, and there she found him upon his bed, passing
heavy and all sad.
CHAP. XXXVIII.
_How Alisander was delivered from the queen Morgan le Fay by the means
of a damsel._
Sir knight, said the damsel, and ye would be merry, I could tell you
good tidings. Well were me, said Alisander, and I might hear of good
tidings, for now I stand as a prisoner by my promise. Sir, said she,
wit you well that ye be a prisoner, and worse than ye ween. For my
lady, my cousin queen Morgan le Fay, keepeth you here for none other
intent but for to do her pleasure with you, when it liketh her. Defend
me, said Alisander, from such pleasure, for I had lever die than I
would do her such pleasure. Truly, said the damsel, and ye would love
me and be ruled by me, I shall make your deliverance with your worship.
Tell me, said Alisander, by what mean, and ye shall have my love. Fair
knight, said she, this castle of right ought to be mine, and I have an
uncle the which is a mighty earl, he is earl of Pase, and of all folks
he hateth most Morgan le Fay, and I shall send unto him, and pray him
for my sake to destroy this castle for the evil customs that be used
therein; and then will he come and set wild fire on every part of the
castle, and I shall get you out at a privy postern, and there shall ye
have your horse and your harness. Ye say well, damsel, said Alisander.
And then she said, Ye may keep the room of this castle this twelvemonth
and a day, then break ye not your oath. Truly, fair damsel, said
Alisander, ye say sooth. And then he kissed her. So anon she sent unto
her uncle, and bad him come and destroy that castle; for as the book
saith, he would have destroyed that castle afore time, had not that
damsel been. When the earl understood her letters he sent her word
again, that on such a day he would come and destroy that castle. So
when that day came, she shewed Alisander a postern where through he
should flee into a garden, and there he should find his armour and his
horse. When the day came that was set, thither came the earl of Pase
with four hundred knights, and set on fire all the parts of the castle,
that, or they ceased, they left not a stone standing. And all this
while that the fire was in the castle, he abode in the garden. And when
the fire was done, he let make a cry that he would keep that piece of
earth, there as the castle of La Beale Regard was, a twelvemonth and a
day, from all manner knights that would come.
So it happed there was a duke that hight Ansirus, and he was of the kin
of Sir Launcelot. And this knight was a great pilgrim, for every third
year he would be at Jerusalem. And because he used all his life to go
in pilgrimage, men called him duke Ansirus the pilgrim. And this duke
had a daughter that hight Alice, that was a passing fair woman, and
because of her father she was called Alice La Beale Pilgrim. And anon
as she heard of this cry, she went unto Arthur’s court, and said openly
in hearing of many knights, That what knight may overcome that knight
that keepeth that piece of earth shall have me and all my lands. When
the knights of the Round Table heard her say thus, many were glad, for
she was passing fair, and of great rents. Right so she let cry in
castles and towns as fast on her side as Sir Alisander did on his side.
Then she dressed her pavilion straight by the piece of earth that
Alisander kept. So she was not so soon there but there came a knight of
Arthur’s court, that hight Sagramor le Desirous, and he proffered to
just with Alisander, and they encountered, and Sagramor le Desirous
bruised his spear upon Sir Alisander, but Sir Alisander smote him so
hard that he avoided his saddle. And when La Beale Alice saw him just
so well, she thought him a passing goodly knight on horseback. And then
she lept out of her pavilion and took Sir Alisander by the bridle, and
thus she said: Fair knight, I require thee of thy knighthood, shew me
thy visage. I dare well, said Alisander, shew my visage. And then he
put off his helm; and when she saw his visage she said, Truly, thee I
must love and never other. Then shew me your visage, said he.
CHAP. XXXIX.
_How Alisander met with Alice la Beale Pilgrim, and how he justed with
two knights; and after of him and of Sir Mordred._
Then she unwimpled her visage. And when he saw her he said, Here have I
found my love and my lady. Truly, fair lady, said he, I promise you to
be your knight, and none other that beareth the life. Now, gentle
knight, said she, tell me your name. My name is, said he, Alisander le
Orphelin. Now, damsel, tell me your name, said he. My name is, said
she, Alice la Beale Pilgrim. And when we be more at our heart’s ease,
both ye and I shall tell each other of what blood we be come. So there
was great love betwixt them. And as they thus talked, there came a
knight that hight Harsouse le Berbuse, and asked part of Sir
Alisander’s spears. Then Sir Alisander encountered with him, and at the
first Sir Alisander smote him over his horse croup. And then there came
another knight that hight Sir Hewgon. And Sir Alisander smote him down
as he did that other. Then Sir Hewgon proffered to do battle on foot.
Sir Alisander overcame him with three strokes, and there would have
slain him had he not yielded him. So then Alisander made both those
knights to swear to wear none armour in a twelvemonth and a day. Then
Sir Alisander alight down, and went to rest him and repose him. Then
the damsel that halp Sir Alisander out of the castle, in her play told
dame Alice altogether how he was prisoner of the castle of La Beale
Regard: and there she told her how she gat him out of prison. Sir, said
Alice la Beale Pilgrim, me seemeth ye are much beholden to this maiden.
That is truth, said Sir Alisander. And there Alice told him of what
blood she was come. Sir, wit ye well, she said, that I am of the blood
of king Ban, that was father unto Sir Launcelot. Ye wis, fair lady,
said Alisander, my mother told me that my father was brother unto a
king, and I am nigh cousin to Sir Tristram. Then this while came there
three knights, that one hight Vains, and that other hight Harvis de les
Marches, and the third hight Perin de la Montaine. And with one spear
Sir Alisander smote them down all three, and gave them such falls that
they had no list to fight upon foot. So he made them to swear to wear
no arms in a twelvemonth. So when they were departed, Sir Alisander
beheld his lady Alice on horseback as he stood in her pavilion. And
then he was so enamoured upon her, that he wist not whether he were on
horseback or on foot. Right so came the false knight Sir Mordred, and
saw Sir Alisander was assotted upon his lady: and therewithal he took
his horse by the bridle and led him here and there, and had cast to
have led him out of that place to have shamed him. When the damsel that
halp him out of that castle saw how shamefully he was led, anon she let
arm her, and set a shield upon her shoulder. And therewith she mounted
upon his horse, and gat a naked sword in her hand, and she thrust unto
Alisander with all her might, and she gave him such a buffet that he
thought the fire flew out of his eyes. And when Alisander felt that
stroke he looked about him, and drew his sword. And when she saw that,
she fled, and so did Mordred into the forest, and the damsel fled into
the pavilion. So when Sir Alisander understood himself how the false
knight would have shamed him, had not the damsel been, then was he
wroth with himself that Sir Mordred was so escaped his hands. But then
Sir Alisander and dame Alice had good game at the damsel, how sadly she
hit him upon the helm. Then Sir Alisander justed thus day by day, and
on foot he did many battles with many knights of king Arthur’s court,
and with many knights strangers. Therefore to tell all the battles that
he did it were overmuch to rehearse, for every day within that
twelvemonth he had ado with one knight or with other, and some day he